Tips on How to Relieve Holiday Stress

Christmas and New Year’s Eve are fast approaching. You’ve got one holiday under your belt (literally!) and more to come. Is the “Merry” in Christmas and the “Happy” in New Year turning into “Stressed” and “Grumpy?”

Does this time of year lead you into overindulging every sugar craving, drinking too many eggnogs or mulled wines, operating on a caffeine ledge so high you might not come down until Valentine’s Day, and acting short-tempered with everyone around you?

Try something new this season – make a conscious effort to not let holiday responsibilities overwhelm you by following a few simple tips to help put the “merry” and “happy” back into this time of year.

4 Realistic Ways to De-stress During the Holiday Bustle

Plan, plan, plan. Nothing makes more stress than last-minute scrambling to get your necessary chores taken care of. The holidays always come sooner than we think and before you know it, you’re behind and can’t get caught up. Make a plan by writing down your tasks; it makes them seem less daunting and more doable. And, once you have a written plan, you will feel in total control and clear your mind.

Take some time on a Sunday afternoon to make a list of what needs to be done.

Next to each item, write the deadline of when it has to be completed and who can help you do it, if possible.

Then, look at your calendar and write/type each task where it makes sense. Don’t set yourself up for failure by overloading your schedule.

Set your holiday tasks up like appointments and treat them as such with a no-cancelation policy.

As the weeks go by, reassess your plan, write a new one, and so on.

Sometimes, it’s helpful to have one task assigned to each day of the week during lunch-hour or after work. The bigger tasks can be done in the evenings or on the weekends. We find that the craziness of holiday shoppers is lightest between 4-6pm on the weekends.

Make time for exercise or meditation or both. Yes, the title of this is “realistic”ways to de-stress, but this is as real as it gets. Whether you’re a regular exerciser or not, this can get put aside to make time for the holiday luncheons, parties, shopping, cooking … don’t let it.

Even if you have to do ten-minutes here and there, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farthest away from the shopping center doors, or walk for a few minutes before you eat your lunch – do it! This is the number one thing that will help boost your mood and stay civil when cranky customers and demanding family members get to you. It will also promote better sleep and ward off those sneaky holiday pounds.

Avoid excess sugar, caffeine, and comfort foods. Delicious once-a-year goodies are everywhere you turn. It’s easy to say, “Oh, what the heck! I’ll have it since I won’t get it until next year!” But the truth is, the excess sugar, fat, caffeine, and processed food that’s full of stuff you’re not used to eating will make you feel lethargic and do a number on your stress hormones and glucose levels.

After you eat that mouth-watering double-chocolate mousse pie two hours after you’ve had a candy cane topped donut and a pumpkin latte, you’ll be happy as a lark for a bit then grumping around, snapping at people and dragging yourself through the day once the sugar-high wears off.

You know the saying – Everything in moderation! Limit yourself to one or two holiday treats a day, spread them out, and try to have them before 7:00 pm so you have ample time to expend the sugar and energy. Depriving yourself completely will lead to binging later on, so have a little and stay physically active for lowered stress and more productivity.

Let people help you. Don’t feel like you have to do everything on your own, especially when it comes to cooking meals and cleaning up. People like to help – ask friends, relatives, or your kids to help with the process of decorating, shopping, cooking, and cleaning up (and remember – everything doesn’t have to be PERFECT).

Have others bring a dish to pass or put someone else in charge of appetizers or serving the drinks. Have guests bring bags of ice and items that always seem to cause a last-minute trip to the convenience store.

You can also consider hiring a caterer for gatherings. There is no shame in hiring a caterer! Catering can be very affordable and stress-free. Imagine just relaxing, laughing, and enjoying being a guest at your own party or family gathering …

Callier’s Catering has an array of delicious, mouth-watering Christmas and New Year’s Eve food and party packages to choose from, with prices starting at $12.95/person. We’re pretty sure you can’t get costs that low with such exceptional food any other way.

Remember the Reason for the Season

No doubt, you’ve heard and read all of this before, but these 4 actions are really very simple to do and can take the weight of the world off your shoulders at holiday time. It’s really easy to forget the meaning of the season and how to care for ourselves as we care for others. Take time for a peaceful moment in each day; for gratitude, love, and togetherness – no matter what this time of year looks like for you.

“We wish you a safe, healthy, happy Christmas and New Year, and thank you for allowing us to provide you with 35 years of nourishment, memorable experiences, exceptional cuisine, and first-class service.”